2018 Season Countdown: #19 Jon Runyan, Jr.

2018 Season Countdown: #19 Jon Runyan, Jr.


August 9, 2018

Jon Runyan, Jr.

Name: Jon Runyan, Jr.
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 304 lbs.
High school: Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseh’s
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #75
Last year: I ranked Runyan #31 and said he would be a part-time starter at right tackle and a backup left guard (LINK). He started one game at right tackle and played in nine games.
TTB Rating: 73

Runyan almost made a liar out of me, but he sneaked in a start at right tackle in the bowl game to make me look like Nostradamus. An athletic but slightly undersized Big Ten lineman, Runyan has been looked at as a stopgap at a few different positions. He has practiced at every position on the line at one point or another. He’s one of those players that hasn’t flashed greatness, but has shown consistency.

That will likely continue to be the theme going into 2018. Runyan isn’t huge and powerful, and he doesn’t generate a lot of movement when run blocking. He doesn’t have a ton of upside, but he’s a decent player entering his fourth year. The word filtering out of spring was that he would likely start at right tackle while Juwann Bushell-Beatty and James Hudson III battle it out on the left side; the loser of that battle will likely be a backup. New offensive line coach Ed Warinner must like Runyan pretty well. The other wild card could be freshman Jalen Mayfield, but starting a true freshman who didn’t enroll early is always a tricky proposition. I’m not expecting greatness from Runyan, but I think he can do a decent job this year.

Prediction: Starting right tackle

7 comments

  1. Comments: 1863
    Joined: 1/19/2016
    je93
    Aug 09, 2018 at 10:49 AM

    Agree, but there’s a poster over at GBMW who says he knows Mayfield, and that the kid is getting all #1 snaps at RT…

    “The other wild card could be freshman Jalen Mayfield, but starting a true freshman who didn’t enroll early is always a tricky proposition”

    • Comments: 313
      Joined: 8/17/2015
      JC
      Aug 09, 2018 at 1:27 PM

      If that is in fact the case, it could be a few things:
      – Motivational tactic for Runyan.
      – Getting the best backup tackle ready.
      – The 296 lbs listed on the roster is accurate and he’s ready to play.

  2. Comments: 13
    Joined: 12/17/2015
    MGoStrength
    Aug 09, 2018 at 10:52 AM

    MSU & Wiscy both blitz well with experienced LBs. Bosa & Chase Young are going to be a handfull for anyone. Patterson’s legs will certainly help. But, my question is will our tackles be too much of a liability to beat some some of the better defenses (again) this year? Secondarily, will Hudson get a chance at RT? If he develops into the 2nd best tackle as the season wears on can he jump over to RT? As we look at the schedule Wiscy, MSU, PSU, & OSU all show up the second half of the season where presumably a young guy will develop over that time.

    • Comments: 262
      Joined: 8/12/2015
      Painter Smurf
      Aug 10, 2018 at 10:40 PM

      They may just want to leave Hudson at one position so he gets comfortable. Especially if they see him as the future at LT. If Hudson’s development is stunted, LT will likely be a problem again in’19 too.*

  3. Comments: 1356
    Joined: 8/13/2015
    Roanman
    Aug 15, 2018 at 3:36 PM

    Alright, so I’m mad at myself here.

    I saw this post go by and thought I’d say that Runyon is going to the left side and I’ve felt certain of that since Warriner said that he had three guys, Ruiz, the guard … I’m sicker than hell and can’t be bothered … and Runyon. And that he had four guys vying for two remaining jobs. Feel free to, “Sure you did Roanman.”

    But the conversation about offensive line personal at everybody’s site just makes no damn sense. Why on this earth would you take just a big assed right tackle that you know can drive a guy out of a hole. About whom you also know that he lacks great lateral quickness … maybe even good lateral quickness … adequate … any? Why on this earth would you take that guy and ask him to be your blindside tackle? Then why would you replace him with a guy who, I’m told, is a nice, pretty big, pretty mobile, technician of a tackle that ain’t gonna root anybody’s stud DT out of a hole, and put that guy on the right side.

    Lets consider Harbaugh for a second. Harbaugh wants to beat the snot out of you with the running game, That’s an understatement. What he really wants to do is just break you in every possible way by running the football. This is indisputable.

    So, be Harbaugh for a second. You look out at two big, fat assed road grading types standing over there next to each other, flanked by two veteran tight ends who are bare minimum decent blockers and in some peoples eyes “solid’. Those guys are anchored by another pretty damn big center with some serious ability to pivot. Then in your backfield, you have a 254 lbs animal. Then, you have a two year starter with some serious size and some wheels at left guard. Who the hell are you picking to play tackle, and where?

    It just makes so much sense, I can’t imagine it going any other way, but maybe.

    Spanellis is 6 and platooning. Hudson is 7 and the backup on the left side. Stueber is 8, Mayfield is impressing. This is a way better group, top to bottom that we’ve had in a long time.

    I’m trying to get corroboration.

    • Comments: 1863
      Joined: 1/19/2016
      je93
      Aug 15, 2018 at 7:01 PM

      In hindsight it makes sense, but will Runyan be any better than Cole? Braden?

      • Comments: 1356
        Joined: 8/13/2015
        Roanman
        Aug 15, 2018 at 9:13 PM

        I don’t know if he’s gonna be better than those guys. Neither of those guys was a real big problem for us. Braden, despite the fact that he could run like a deer, we have come to find out that he played jacked in the back. Cole is a potential starting NFL center. We had much bigger issues with centers and guards on those lines.

        I just caught something that I can no longer find that makes me think, maybe flip Stueber and Hudson. Which is fine with me. If I have grownups with red shirts that can get it done better, that’s what I be wanting anyway.

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